Container for wrenches and the like



Dec. 24, 1935. E. H. CARROLL CONTAINER FOR WRENCHES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 20, 1933 w rw r H W 2 .w m w l j i w w 3 w m n i w L I urZ w m n. ,u mmlmml.EWIWIIIWHW EIWWM 3 M m e 4 1D v Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES @ATENT OFFICE Elbert H. Carroll, West Boylsten, Mass.

Application December 20, 1933, Serial No. 703,182

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a container for a socket wrench set, the latter providing a plurality of sockets of graduated size, and a handle which is provided for use selectively with any one of said sockets.

The invention resides particularly in an especially constructed holder for such a set which is of simple and inexpensive construction and is adapted to prevent accidental displacement of the several parts of the set. The container is arranged to provide for the removal of each part individually therefrom when desired.

Containers for socket Wrench sets which embody several handles have been provided as indicated, for example, in the applicants Patent No. 1,916,918, dated July 4, 1933. Such containers are entirely satisfactory for the purpose intended; the present invention, however, is arranged especially for the support of a socket wrench set and a single handle, the latter preferably consisting of the usual multi-sided bar having an angularly extending end thereon.

Further advantages and objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of -the device in closed position.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation corresponding to Fig.

2 with the device in open position.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

A socket wrench set of the type referred to provides, as is well known, a plurality of graduated similarly shaped socket members I, each having a nut or bolt receiving socket 2 and a polygonal opening 3, the latter receiving one end of the handle 4 which is common to all of the socket members. The handle 4 which corresponds in section to the polygonal opening 3 has one end 5 thereof bent substantially at'a right angle to the main portion of said handle. All of the socket members and the handle 4 are mounted in the container.

The container comprises, in general, a shallow tray 6 and a cover I pivotally mounted thereto. The tray 6 which receives the socket members, as indicated, has upstanding side walls 8 and 9 and parallel end walls I 0 and l l. The tray decreases in width toward the end wall II to retain the sockets against transverse sliding movement and a tongue 12 bent upwardly from the bottom of the tray holds the sockets in one end thereof. The tongue 12 is spaced from the end wall 10 a sufficient distance to provide for the insertion of the end 5 of the handle 4 therebetween, as will hereinafter appear. The wall II is of substantially greater height than the side walls 8 and 9 and the wall l E! has an upwardly extending projection I0 substantially equal in height to the end wall II, for a purpose hereinafter pointed out. 1 The cover I for the tray receives the handle 4 I and comprises a bottom wall 13 having upstanding side walls 14 and I5 and substantially parallel end walls 1 6 and l l. The end walls l6 and H are pivotally connected respectively to the pro- 15 jection Hi and to end wall ll of the tray as by pivot pins l8 and I9 to provide for turning movement of said cover into and out of the closed position of Fig. 2. The end wall ll of the cover extends beyond the side wall M, as indicated in Fig. 4, to receive the pivot pin 1 9.

The bottom wall l3 of the cover has a recess 20 extending inwardly from the wall It, the latter also being cut away at this point for the reception of the downwardly extending end 5 of the handle 4, as indicated in Fig. 1. The opposite side walls l4 and 15 of the cover converge toward each other from the end wall I6 to an intermediate point where the width is slightly greater than the thickness of the handle 4 and thereafter extend parallel the rest of the distance to the wall ll. The walls I4 and 15 substantially midway of the length thereof are provided with upwardly and inwardly extending tongues 2| and 22 which extend over the handle 4, as indicated in Fig. 5, to permitremoval of said handle only by a longitudinal movement of said handle relative to the cover, that is, a movement toward the left, Fig. 4.

With the cover and tray in the closed position of Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom wall 13 of the cover extends adjacent to the upper ends of the socket members I to prevent removal of said members from the tray. The end wall I0 of the tray, in this closed position, extends upwardly adjacent 45 to and in opposition to the lower end of the portion 5 of the handle 4 to prevent longitudinal movement of said handle, thereby preventing removal thereof from the container. When the cover and tray are pivoted about the pins I8 and [9 into the open position of Fig. 3, the end wall ll! no longer forms an obstruction to the longitudinal movement of the handle 4, as will be apparent, and the latter may be withdrawn from the cover. At the same time, with the cover in the position of Fig. 3, any one of the socket members I can be removed from the tray. g

The cover I is obviously slightly shorter than I the tray 8 so that the end Walls I6 and I1 of the cover may be positioned between the projection ID and the end wall I l of the tray. For retaining said cover and tray releasably in closed position, the end wall H of the tray is provided with a protuberance 23 and the upper edge of the end wall I! adjacent thereto is cut away, as indicated, to engage directly beneath said protuberance when the cover is in the closed position of Fig. 1, thereby preventing unintentional upward or opening movement of the cover. Downward movement of the cover beyond the position indicated in Fig. l is prevented by another protuberance 24 extending inwardly from the end wall I l of the tray and engaging the bottom wall I3 of the cover.

To release the parts of the wrench set, the cover is rotated about the pivotal connections I 8 and I9 to the open position of Fig. 3, thereby pertion-of Figs. 1 and 2 with the downwardly extending end of the handle 4 extending between the end wall 10 of the tray and the tongue l2, as previously pointed out. and '22 arelocated intermediate the ends of the Since the tongues 2| cover, they effectively prevent upward movement of the handle and thus the handle cannot be removed until the container is opened.

I claim, *1. Acontainer for a socket wrenchiset, comprising 'a box having an open top and upwardly extending ends, and adapted to receive the graduated sockets of the wrench set, a cover pivotally connected to the ends of the box, clips on said cover between the'opposite ends thereof for supporting the handle of the wrench set, said clips being arranged to provide for endwise removal only of said handle from said cover, said cover having a recess at one end thereof to receive the downwardly projecting end of the handle of the wrench set, the end of the box adjacent the recess in the cover being of sufiicient height to engage the downwardly extending end of the handle when the cover is in closed position to prevent endwise removal of said handle.

2. A container for a socket wrench set, comprising a box having an open top and upwardly extending ends, and adapted to receive the graduated sockets of the wrench set, a cover connected to said box and movable relative thereto for opening and closing said box, clips on said cover between the opposite ends thereof for supporting the handle of the wrench set, the said clips being arranged to provide for endwise removal only of said handle from said cover, said cover having a recess at one end thereof to receive the downwardlylprojecting end of the handle of the wrench set, the end of the box adjacent the recess in the cover being of suflicient height to engage the downwardly extending end of the handle when the cover is in closed position to prevent endwise removal of said handle.

3.A container for a socket wrench set, comprising a box having an open top and upwardly extending ends and adapted to receive the graduatedsocketsof the wrench set, a cover connected to the ends of said box and movable relative thereto for opening and closing said box, means on said cover between the opposite ends thereof forsupporting the handle of the wrench set, said means being arranged to provide for endwise removal only of said handle from said cover, the latter being arranged at one end thereof to receive .the downwardly projecting end of the handle of the wrench set, the end of the box adjacent said end of the cover being of suflicient height to engage the downwardly extending end of the handle when the cover is in closed position to prevent endwise removal of said handle.

ELBERT ,H. CARROLL. 

